Lithuania’s Nemunas Dawn party will continue working with its coalition partners as long as its policy goals are being implemented, party chairman Remigijus Žemaitaitis said Saturday, despite growing tensions within the ruling bloc and indications that the Social Democrats are looking for alternative partners.
“As long as our programmatic goals are being implemented in the government, we are certainly working in that coalition and will continue our joint work,” Žemaitaitis told reporters.
He said there are currently no doubts about the coalition’s future, though some party members would like to see greater decisiveness from the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party.
“Everyone would like to see more determination and faster decision-making from the Social Democrats,” he said. “The more things are delayed and the public is left without answers, the more people begin to doubt whether there is a ruling majority capable of making decisions here and now.”
Žemaitaitis added that some voters, seeking quick results, have questioned whether the party should remain in the coalition if certain commitments are not fulfilled.
He also criticised remarks by Social Democratic partners about Nemunas Dawn, calling them unacceptable.
“When we see certain statements from our Social Democratic colleagues about their coalition partners, it is not acceptable to us,” he said. “Either they resolve the tone of their colleagues internally, or I too could start talking about the ‘receipts scandal’, dismissed employees, bribes, or convicted colleagues, but we choose not to do that.”
Tensions have intensified after lawmakers failed to approve the establishment of a military training ground in the Kapčiamiestis area of the Lazdijai district. The Social Democrats last week debated whether to continue the coalition with Nemunas Dawn following the vote.
Party leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius said after the meeting that the partnership with Nemunas Dawn is damaging not only to the Social Democratic Party but potentially to the country, citing failures by coalition partners to support key decisions. He singled out Žemaitaitis as a primary source of friction.
The Social Democrats postponed a final decision on the coalition until May or June, after electing new party leadership on May 1.
Žemaitaitis has said he opposes the proposed training ground and will not support it, arguing that funding should instead be prioritised for air defence. However, the legislation has enough support from opposition lawmakers.
Nemunas Dawn holds 18 seats in Lithuania’s 141-member legislature, the Seimas. The ruling coalition also includes the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and the Lithuanian Farmers, Greens and Christian Families Union, and together they command a majority of 81 seats.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
